A few weeks ago, my school took our students to a local event on dangers in the community, from drugs to gang violence, to help raise awareness of the present issues and dilemmas young people face. The majority of my students are recent Latino immigrants, not yet fluent in English, but the event catered to young African-Americans, who populated the room. As the featured speaker presented, images of one young, black face after another flashed on the screen behind him. The words “imprisoned” or “convicted” were stamped in deep red over each of the faces, all young males like the students in the audience. The speaker implored students to choose another path in life, but I worried the real message the students in that room received was: “This is what you can expect of your future.” Equally troubling was the fact that my Latino students, having only understood the visuals, may have left with the idea that the future depicted in those pictures is what they should expect of their black peers. I realized that, unless we — as adult educators — significantly change the messages we send to our young people about race, our students could become George Zimmerman, staring down a teenager with a suspicious eye, or Trayvon Martin, afraid for his safety with an equally suspicious eye toward the lighter-skinned neighborhood watchman. As I’ve reflected on the reaction to the Zimmerman verdict, one thing that has stood out to me is the difficulty of so many, conservatives and liberals alike, to admit that subconscious racial biases exist within themselves. Maybe Zimmerman, for all that he has seen (perhaps images like the ones posted at the students’ event), had a reason to be suspicious (though not a reason to play police); and Martin, for all he has seen, had a reason to believe he was in danger. The reality is that educators and students across the country roam the halls of their schools every day, loaded with the same suspicions that both Zimmerman and Martin felt toward each other that night — all of the biases and preconceived notions on race that lead to tension, conflict, and misunderstanding.

We face these challenges in our classrooms every day. Sometimes we try to look beyond race, hoping that in the Obama era “post-racial” attitudes will prevail and with our leadership and an increasingly diverse world around them, our students will be far more colorblind than their predecessors. But we’re failing to take the sensible path: Admit that our racial biases are real and fight like hell to rise above them.

Despite being passionate about working with students whose circumstances have been more difficult than my own and my own conscious efforts to combat racism and prejudice whenever I see it, I harbor the biases that growing up white in America breeds. Last week President Obama spoke about his own experience of being black in America: a passenger on the elevator clutching her belongings as he stepped on and car doors locking as he walked by. I’ve never experienced what it feels like to be profiled in these ways, but I know I have been that profiler. In those moments when I am struck by that subconscious bias toward a group of young black males I see on the street as I walk home at night, I try to remember that any one of them could be my student. It makes me fight harder to make sure that the work I do as an educator is inclusive and fair.

It’s true that it’s hard to fully understand the lives of students without having experienced that prejudice yourself. (It’s why our workplaces need to reflect the diversity of the students we teach.) But diversity — of background and of thought — can steer us right. We can also make sure our lessons, events, and everyday conversations with students reflect our values. We shouldn’t seek to “accommodate” each demographic, but to include them in every practical way possible. In a social studies classroom, this might mean supplementing (or substituting) a history, geography, or politics curriculum that leans too heavily toward all-things-northern-hemisphere. In a language arts classroom, this may mean teaching English in a way that doesn’t denigrate the language and vocabulary so many of our students have grown up with, but places it in context. It is sometimes as simple as making sure what we teach is linguistically and culturally accessible to everyone.

One thing is for sure: We won’t make progress by pretending to be “post-racial” or wishing away the inconveniences our differences can cause. We can only get there by acknowledging our biases and working to fight them. The classroom is a perfect place to start.

Scott Goldstein is a social studies and ESL teacher at a D.C. public charter school. He can be reached at scottaudc(at)gmail(dot)com or on Twitter (at)ScottGoldstein.

this is a valuable summary of events and the start of a platform for all of us to propel forward/upward
-thanks for you thoughts-

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Scott

7/25/2013 01:28:44 am

Thanks for your comments.

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bertha lowitt

7/26/2013 02:47:16 am

Scott, I am so proud of you. Your taking students on a tour and discussing racism in our country is so very important especially for young people. You know my background infighting for civil rights, etc. Just keep me informed of your doings. Love, Berdie

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Steve

7/25/2013 12:36:39 am

I read FBI stats where blacks commit way more crimes than any other ethnic group. Maybe it's as simple as stop committing crimes? I've been to black neighborhoods all over the US and I never once felt safe. But then you all will think I'm probably racist and ignore this.

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Scott

7/25/2013 01:53:31 am

Well ignoring it wouldn't be a good way to have an honest conversation! First, it's important to cite where you saw this information. Second, the truth is that crime is often more prevalent in African American neighborhoods in large part because those are lower-income neighborhoods. I don't think you'd questions that violence rises out of poverty. Gang violence, drugs and all of the other problems that plague those communities exist because of a lack of economic opportunity. Telling them to just "stop committing crimes" isn't going to get us anywhere. What can lead to progress is better education, economic development, etc... in those neighborhoods. I think it's important to say though that even if the truth is blacks and committing more crime than whites, it still means than an tiny tiny fraction of black people commit those crimes and there is no reason to fear the vast majority of black Americans who are not involved. Like I said in the article, for all that we see on TV, in the movies, and on the news, it's not unreasonable that people build these suspicions, but we have to understand that they are emotional and not logical and make sure we don't treat people unfairly because of them. I think making big generalizations like the insinuation that you can't feel safe in ANY neighborhood where African-Americans live is not helpful. I live in a neighborhood where most of my neighbors are Black and some Latino and they are the friendliest neighbors I've had. We can't let suspicions let us bias our actions and feelings towards a whole group.

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Yolanda

7/25/2013 03:18:41 am

I can appreciate the honesty and the openness of this blog posting. I too am a charter school teacher, one that happens to teach in a predominately Black and Latino community. I believe that much of what we are discussing includes systemic racism. I am a black woman who grew up in a suburban, predominately white community. But, it makes me sad that generalizations have become a norm. Maybe it's because these stereotypes are played out in the media. Perhaps it's also because we fail to develop deep and meaningful relationships with those outside of our own socio-economic status or race. Scott, thank you for the posting and I hope that this will cause others to consider their own belief system and interactions with others.

Hat tip to my friend Aaron Bregman for bringing this to my attention. Great article from Harvard Professor Lawrence Blum- " 5 things high schools students should know about race." Definitely worth a read- http://hepg.org/hel/article/553#home . I would direct people's attention especially to number 3 on his list.

To highlight, he starts out "Americans, especially white Americans, don’t like to talk about race. And they generally don’t think they need to know anything about it, either. Many Americans think we are in a “postracial” society, partly because a black man is president, so they don’t need to give much thought to race anymore." Go over and read it!

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Audrey

7/27/2013 01:41:59 am

If only the rest of us could be so honest about where our hearts and minds reside...

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Michael

8/1/2013 02:31:46 pm

Scott,

This is a great article that you have written and I truly appreciate your follow-up comments as well. I am a brand new member of Young Educated Professionals, and I appreciate this open, honest dialogue about people, race, and society at large. Here's what I have to offer in this conversation:

I am African-American, specifically Ethiopian-American, as I was born and raised in Washington, DC and am originally from Ethiopia. I grew up in DC and went to elementary school up through the age of 11, then moved with my family to Arlington, VA while in middle school and high school and subsequently Alexandria, VA as well. As a young child, my mother instilled within me not just morals and values, she also instilled the meaningfulness of seeing and respecting people for who they are as well. In terms of people and race, I actually never learned about people as part of racial groups until I started attending school.

Even though I know the harsh past and present that plagues individuals of different races in comparison with one another (blacks and whites, alongside other 'minorities'), that does not mean I have to repeat the same mistakes and embody racism or even nihilism for that matter. What I am proposing is that honesty, communication, understanding, compassion, truthfulness and interest in humanity's well-being between people of varying backgrounds can and will present the solution that we speak of and are seeking as well.

What I like to call 'the freedom of choice', is very powerful and meaningful beyond measure; people have the freedom to choose who they are and want to become (unless significantly hindered mentally, emotionally, physically). In addition, egoism, self-centeredness and self-preservation comes in the way of different racial groups moving forward towards a better livelihood and society. When we talk about justice and equality, what do those truly entail in both ideal and practical ways? The answer to this question and an understanding of the human condition will enable to both acknowledge race and embrace people for who they are as part of humanity.

What do you all think? Hope to learn what others have to offer and say in response as well! Thanks for reading and replying in advance.

Michael

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YEP-DC is a nonpartisan group of education professionals who work in research, policy, and practice – and even outside of education. The views expressed here are only those of the attributed author, not YEP-DC. This blog aims to provide a forum for our group’s varied opinions. It also serves as an opportunity for many more professionals in DC and beyond to participate in the ongoing education conversation. We hope you chime in, but we ask that you do so in a considerate, respectful manner. We reserve the right to modify or delete any content or comments. For any more information or for an opportunity to blog, contact us via one of the methods below.

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MONICA GRAY is co-founder & president of DreamWakers, an edtech nonprofit. She writes on education innovation and poverty.

LYDIA HALL is a legislative aide in the U.S. House of Representatives, where she works on education, civil rights, and other issues. Lydia is interested in helping to bridge the gap between Capitol Hill and the classroom.

MOSES PALACIOS is an advocate for student rights and works as a Research Manager for the Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS) - a coalition of urban school districts across the nation. He writes on issues regarding the children of immigrants and students learning English as a second language. His views are his own and not representative of CGCS.

PATRICIA RUANE is aresearch associate at an education nonprofit. She is an editor of Recess. ​LESLIE WELSH is a high school social studies teacher in DC. She is an editor of Recess.